_THE STRANGE STORY OF A WONDERFUL SEA-GOD._
I am going to tell you to-day one of the strangest stories that has everbeen told to little children. It is such a wonderful story that evengrown people read it again and again.
Three thousand years ago Greek mothers used to tell it to their childrenas they sat together on the seashore. It is about a famous king, namedMenelaus, who after a long and cruel war was over, started in his goodship for his much loved home in Sparta. Thinking only of himself in hisimpatience to get home, he forgot to give worship to the gods, to thankthem for his deliverance and to ask them to guide him safely to hisjourney's end. We shall soon see what trouble his thoughtlessnessbrought upon him, and not him alone, but all his followers.
In those days there were no great ocean steamers such as we have now,therefore Menelaus and his men had to cross the dark, mysterious sea insmall boats which they rowed with oars. Sometimes when the wind wasfavorable they would hoist a sail and thus be helped along on theirjourney. As it was impossible for them to go forward when the strong,though invisible, wind was not blowing in a favorable direction, you caneasily imagine their dismay when, having stopped one evening in asheltered bay on the coast of a small island, they awoke next morning tofind the wind blowing steadily in the opposite direction from the one inwhich they wished to sail. They waited all day hoping that the strongbreeze would die down, or change its direction. The next day and thenext passed and still the wind blew steadily away from their belovedhomes. Although it _was_ invisible it had more strength than all ofthem, and they could make no headway against it. Had they not watched itlift huge waves high in the air and dash them against the sharp rocks?Had they not seen it twist and turn the strong branches of great trees,and sometimes bend, and even _break_ their mighty trunks? And yet theyknew at other times how gentle it could be. Had they not listened to itssoft, low song as it rustled over the tall grass? How glad they alwayswere when it rattled and stirred their white sails, filling theirhearts with promises of help on the way? They could not alwaysunderstand what it was saying, but they felt sure that it came from theever-living gods and always brought some message of love, or command tothem.
So, as day after day it blew a fierce, wild gale over their heads, andon beyond, hurrying clouds across the sky, dashing the waves against theshore, whirling the dust into their faces and hurriedly uttering hoarsewhispering sounds as it passed them, they knew that it was warning themagainst daring to continue their homeward journey.
Twenty days had come and gone, and still the wind kept up its fierce,loud tone of command as it rushed from the far away west, shook thewaters of the vast ocean, swept over the small, rocky island and sped ontoward the east. The courage of the poor sailors was almost exhausted.Their provisions were giving out. They had to catch fish to satisfy eachday's hunger. Menelaus, their chief, was wandering alone upon theseashore. He was very unhappy, for he feared much that all this troublehad come upon his comrades because he had not obeyed the law of the godsbefore he left Egypt. So he was much distressed in mind as he walkedalong the sandy beach.
The sun was sinking to rest, the evening shadows were settling downbetween the rocky hills, the darkness of night was approaching, whensuddenly there stood before him a beautiful being, of so dazzling anappearance that he knew she could not be a woman, she must be animmortal. Her saffron robes gleamed with light as do the sunset clouds.Her face was as radiant as are the last rays of the departing sun. Itwas the beautiful goddess, Idothea. Her face suddenly became stern asshe looked at King Menelaus and asked him why he tarried idly upon thesmall, rocky island. He replied that he did not willingly remain, butthat he must surely have sinned against the gods, as they had sent astrong, fierce wind to hinder his homeward voyage. Then he earnestlybegged her to tell him what to do. The stern look left her face as sheheard him confess that he had done wrong. She came nearer to him, andher glittering robes changed from saffron to pink, and blue, and evengray, and the lights played above, around and about her in the mostwonderful fashion, changing each moment as she spoke.
She told him that she was the daughter of Proteus, the Ancient of theDeep, who, living for thousands and thousands of years in the bottom ofthe great ocean, had gone wherever the restless waves of the sea hadgone, and had learned the secrets of both land and water. He knew thesong of the winds and could interpret every message which they broughtfrom the gods, therefore he, and he alone, could tell Menelaus what itwas that the strong, fierce wind had been crying out to him and hiscompanions for the past twenty days.
Now comes the strange part of our story. This sea-god, Proteus, was amost remarkable being. He had the power to change himself into whateverform he chose, as you will soon see. The only way to get any secret fromhim was to catch him when he was asleep, and then to _hold on_ to him,no matter what shape he might choose to take, until at last he returnedto his original form of the old man of the sea.
Idothea told Menelaus that this strange father of hers would rise out ofthe sea at about noon the next day, and would walk over to a largecavern not far distant, where his sea-calves took their daily sleep, andthat when he had counted them to see if they were all there, he wouldlie down in the midst of them and go to sleep also. This, said she,would be the time for Menelaus and three of his trusted sailors tospring upon him and seize him firmly, and she added that they must _holdon to him, no matter what happened_, until he changed back into his ownform, that of an old man; then they could ask him any questions theywished and he would be compelled to answer them.
Having given Menelaus these instructions, the beautiful goddess suddenlyplunged into the ocean and the green waves closed over her.
With bowed head and mind filled with anxious thought Menelaus returnedto his men. They gathered round their boats on the seashore and atetheir scanty evening meal. Silently and solemnly the night settled downupon the landscape and made the trees look like dark, shadowy forms, andthe outlines of the hills grew dim, and the ocean was covered by thehush of the darkness, and silence reigned over all.
The sailors threw themselves down upon the sand and were soon fastasleep. Menelaus lay beside them, but I fear much that he did not sleep.His mind was troubled. What would the next day bring forth? He was tomeet the strange and terrible Ancient of the Deep, and was to strugglefiercely with him. Would he be able to cope with the monster? Would hehave the courage to hold on to him? What awful and unknown shapes mightnot the creature take? These and a hundred other questions kept risingin his mind and banished all sleep from his eyes. One by one the starscame out in the deep, black sky above his head. Had not the gods keptthem in their places for unnumbered ages? Could not these same godsprotect and strengthen him when they knew that in his heart he wasstriving to learn what was their will? The night slowly wore away, andwhen the faint purplish light softened the eastern sky, he arose andgoing apart from his sleeping comrades, he knelt down and prayedearnestly to the ever-living gods. Then returning to his men, he awokethe three whom he could trust the most, and taking them with him hesought the spot where the goddess Idothea had promised to meet him. She,radiant as the dawn, was already there awaiting him.
As they approached she plunged into the sea and was lost to sight. In afew moments, however, she re-appeared bringing with her the newly flayedskins of four sea-calves. Then quickly digging four oblong holes in thewet sand she commanded Menelaus and his three companions to lie down inthem. This they did, and she skillfully spread over each of them, one ofthe skins which she had brought from the bottom of the ocean. After theywere so closely covered that even the shrewd Proteus would mistake themfor sea-calves, the radiant goddess seated herself on a rock not fardistant, to await his coming.
The horrible smell which came from the skins of the newly-slainsea-calves was so sickening that Menelaus and his three comrades couldnot stand it, and were about to give up the attempt to capture thesea-god, when the shining goddess came to the rescue. Bringing from,they knew not whence, some fragrant ambrosia, the food of the immortals
,she placed it beneath their nostrils and its sweet perfume made themforget the loathsome coverings with which they were concealed. Itsrefreshing odor soon restored their strength and thus they were able toremain hidden until the noon hour.
Then the sea-calves floundering much rose from the depths of the oceanand began crawling along the sand. They came in throngs and laidthemselves down in rows upon the sandy shore beside the brave butanxious heroes. Soon the sunlit waves parted from right to left andslowly and solemnly Proteus, the Ancient of the Deep, appeared. His hairand beard and garments were covered with white foam. He walked over towhere his sea-calves lay basking in the sun and counted them. This was atrying time for Menelaus. His heart beat loud and fast, so great was hisfear that he and his companions might be discovered. But the goddess haddone her work too well for that. Proteus did not notice any differencebetween them and the beasts which lay about them. Having finished histask, he stretched his body upon the sand beside his flock, ready forhis afternoon nap.
Now was the critical moment! Menelaus and his men throwing off the skinsof the dead sea-calves sprang forward with loud shouts, and before theold sea-god knew it, they had fast hold of his arms and legs.
Proteus having the power to change his body into whatever shape hepleased, suddenly transformed himself into a roaring lion, so fierce andstrong that it seemed as if he might crush anything that came in hisway. Still Menelaus and his stout-hearted men _held on_. Then, in aninstant the lion became a fiery panther whose glaring eyes struckterror into their hearts, but still they _held on_. In a moment more alarge snake was twisting and writhing in their hands, hissing anddarting his forked tongue out as if he would gladly poison all of them,still they _held on_. Shape after shape the monster assumed, but stillthey _held on_. Now it was a clear, harmless stream of water flowinggently through their hands. Again it was a flame of fire darting hereand there threatening to scorch their faces and even to burn out theireyes; still they _held on_. Then it became a beautiful tree, tall andstately, with broad spreading branches and shining green leaves, stillthey _held on_.
At last, finding that his enchantments were of no avail he changed backinto his real form and turning to Menelaus he said, "What wouldst thouhave?" Menelaus begged him to tell why he and his faithful sailors werekept from crossing the dark waters of the sea to their distant homes.Then Proteus, the Ancient of the Deep, who knew all secrets of both godsand men, told him that he must go back to Egypt where he had sinned, anddo all that he could to atone for that sin before he might hope to reachhis beloved home.
Menelaus now understood what the wind had been trying to tell him. Eachhoarse whisper as the gale rushed by, meant "Return to Egypt! Return toEgypt!" In fact, all these twenty days it had been blowing in thatdirection, as if to assure the mariners that it would fill their sailsand help them to return to Egypt if they would only launch their boatsand turn the prows eastward.
This they did the very next day, and soon were back on Egypt's shore.Due worship was paid to the gods, and then right merrily the windwhistled and sang about their ears as it filled their white sails andhelped them to speed across the blue water, and in a few days they hadreached their beloved home-land.
But never to the end of their lives did they forget the terriblestruggle with the Mighty Proteus, Ancient of the Deep, where by _holdingon_ they had won the silent battle. And oftentimes they told the storyto their children and grandchildren, just as I am telling it to you,to-day.